Stranger might be disease in disguise

Wednesday

Jan 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMJan 30, 2008 at 11:53 AM

Dear Abby: I'm a middle-aged man who has been married for 20 years. I own a duplex in a nice neighborhood. Last week, I put an ad in the paper, and a 21-year-old woman checked out the upstairs apartment. I was attracted to her, and we had sex downstairs while my wife wasn't home.

Dear Abby: I'm a middle-aged man who has been married for 20 years. I own a duplex in a nice neighborhood. Last week, I put an ad in the paper, and a 21-year-old woman checked out the upstairs apartment. I was attracted to her, and we had sex downstairs while my wife wasn't home.

What should I do?

-- Couldn't Help Myself

in New York

Dear Couldn't Help Yourself: While you were checking out the woman, did you also check her references? If not, hurry to your doctor to be checked for every sexually transmitted disease known because you had unprotected sex not only with a stranger but with one who would have sex with any stranger.

Dear Abby: My son, "Larry," has lost his driver's license until the case can go to court, but he continues to drive. Larry's wife doesn't want a confrontation with him, but she is worried that if he should get into an accident, he could be arrested.

We're also concerned that, with his license suspended, his insurance might not cover any accident or ensuing lawsuit. His family could go bankrupt.

It's too bad that your daughter-in-law is afraid of a confrontation because that is what it might take. You ask whether she should hide the keys or call the police. I have another suggestion: She should give the keys to you, to be returned only after his case has been adjudicated.

Dear Abby: I have lived in my condo for three years. My across-the-hall neighbors moved in two years ago. To welcome them, I left a bottle of wine, some bread and a floral arrangement outside their door. I received a gracious thank-you note in return. We have since talked in the hall but socialized only rarely because I travel frequently for business.

I recently married a phenomenal man. He also travels extensively, so he has rarely seen our neighbors. When he moved his belongings into our condo, the neighbors popped over with a bottle of wine and a fruit basket. We thanked them profusely, but I handed the bottle of wine back, stating, "We don't drink, but maybe you could open it and think of us when you do."

I didn't mention that my husband is a recovering alcoholic. I wrote a thank- you card that night. While I was writing the card, my husband said I might have committed a faux pas by returning the wine. He

thinks we should have accepted it, then given it to someone else. What do you think?

-- No Offense Intended

in N.Y.

Dear No Offense Intended: What's done is done, so don't flog yourself. Once a gift is received, however, it belongs to the recipient. The proper thing would have been to thank them, then give the wine to someone else.